By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday January 5, 2025
Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to take out qualifier Polina Kudermetova in the Brisbane final.
Photo Source: TC
Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to claim her second career title at Brisbane (formerly Adelaide), defeating Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova, 4-6, 6-3 6-2.
Sabalenka claims her 18th career title, 16 of which have come on hard court.
She believes the title can help her as she heads to Australia with her sights set on winning a third consecutive Australian Open title.
“I definitely can take a lot of things from this week heading into the Australian Open. I definitely feel my game pretty well. Mentally, physically I'll be ready to go at the Australian Open,” she said. “Really happy with the way the week went. Yeah, having this trophy going to the major, it's really important.”
Sabalenka has now won 27 of her last 28 matches on Australian soil.
107th-ranked Kudermetova provided ample challenge, claiming the opening set by stealing a second break as Sabalenka served to stay alive at 4-5 down.
But the World No.1 righted the ship in the second set, losing just five points behind her serve. Momentum firmly in hand she raced away with the third to improve to 13-1 lifetime at the event.
“I had a break in the first set. I was trying to play too conservative, I would say,” Sabalenka said. “I wasn't following the plan. That was the moment where everything clicked for her and she was, like, smashing the ball. Seems like everything is going in. I was like, I cannot do much in this situation.
“In that second set, I just put her under a little pressure. I saw the way she was reacting, the way she was playing. She was rushing things a lot. I was like, I'm just going to stay aggressive, keep pushing, keep swinging the ball, and hopefully I'll be able to turn around this game.”